Sitzende männliche Modellfigur 

Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt created this sanguine drawing of a seated male model. Sanguine, from the French word for blood, is a drawing technique using a reddish-chalk, made from iron oxide pigment. Hirt deployed this material to create a warm, ruddy tone. Notice how the cross-hatching gives volume to the figure and suggests the rough textures of his clothing and surroundings. The drawing is a study; a way of developing skills and understanding human anatomy. Think about the artist’s labor here: the careful observation and the controlled hand movements required to build up the image through layers of fine lines. This contrasts with the life of the sitter, evidently a working-class man, whose own labor would have been physical and likely less appreciated. Hirt elevates him through artmaking. The drawing reminds us that all creative practices depend on a complex interplay of materials, techniques, and social contexts.